Japanese American Identity & Self-Image | Asian American Poll

JAPANESE AMERICAN IDENTITY & SELF-IMAGE
(Updated Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:14:03 PM to reflect the 100 most recent valid responses.)

In relating with other Asian American groups, Japanese Americans most exhibit which of the following attitudes?
More Americanized than thou | 51%
More rooted in ancestral heritage | 0%
More anxious to be low key | 49%
More embracing of other AA | 0%

Which of the following has the most impact on the Japanese American identity?
Smallest percentage of recent immigrants | 36%
World War II internment | 51%
Japan's economic success | 6%
Smaller population than other AA groups | 7%

This poll is closed to new input.
Comments posted during the past year remain available for browsing.

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WHAT YOU SAY

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I agree with the aptly named "reality filled". There is a lot of black and white thinking going on here (pardon the pun!). It's not that you are either

a) completely assimilate, aka. whitewashed, eating Big Macs, and wearing preppy clothes
or

b) only speak Chinese (for example), eat Chinese food, dress Chinese, listen to Chinese music, etc etc

I'm a 3rd generation European American and I actually know little to nothing about my European roots. But I don't mind, I'm proud to be what I am- an American, though some would call our country "cultureless". We are unique in that we don't have one rigid culture, we have many cultures together, what a wonderful way to learn about other people and ways of thought? What a unique opportunity we have here.

I think being extremely one way or the other is probably wrong, for example trying way too hard to fit in, or rejecting white America totally. Can't we find a middle ground, where people fit in to American society and enjoy living here, while still keeping their customs of behavior, thought, food, values, etc?
am I too optimistic? Monday, April 15, 2002 at 16:49:20 (PDT)

What is wrong being with more assimilated? JA have been here for so long it's a given that they're more accustomed to the "American" ways. In another generation or two, all of you first and second generations' descendents will be like that too. It's natural. I doubt anyone can fully retain their culture. I sure don't see any of the African Am. and Caucasians grabbing on to their ancestral ways.
reality filled Sunday, April 14, 2002 at 13:52:57 (PDT)

"but I do identify with them racially."
Which means what, exactly ... "Hi, I don't speak your language, we have completely different ways of thinking and behaving, but I'll call you a brother cuz your nose is kinda shaped like mine and we both have extended long intestines?"

T.H. Lien,

I don’t care how nice Chinese and Koreans have become to the Japanese. The fact is that you’re a dork. And annoying. I don’t want to read your jibber jabber in the Japanese American forum. Do you know why? Because it’s annoying. I misunderstood LA yonsei’s initial post; however, after reading his second post, I came across your goofy message. What the hell is your problem, Lien? You think I’m that ignorant of my parent’s language and culture? Man -- you know nothing about Japanese Americans. When I read your postings, I can see plain as day that you know nothing about the JA community. All you’re doing is waiting for the next loser JA (who doesn’t want to connect with his community) to validate your suppositions. You’re irritating. I don’t care how fluent in Japanese you are, or how much you know about Japanese history. You’re just plain irritating. You have this need to show the whole wide world that you’re a know-it-all.

Go ahead and say something to me. I don’t care. I’m not going to use my name handle in this website again.
Eikaiwa Shark (Final Post) Sunday, April 14, 2002 at 02:49:57 (PDT)

LA Yonsei:
"If you have a problem with me and the Japanese-American professors at UCLA such as Professor Don Nakanishi using the words "more assimilated" to describe the majority of the Japanese-American community, then please tell me what is a more appropriate term"
Hmm, if you want to refer to being functional in mainstream society while still maintaining separate values, cultural practises, language, etc., I think "Acculturation" or "Integration" gives a better impression. (Mostly cuz "assimilation" is a holdover from a bunch of 1960s sociologists developing models of how immigrant communities, specifically European ones, lose their cohesion and become indistinguishable from the larger society, so assimilation will imply you lost your cohesion to your own community in order to join the mainstream).
T.H. Lien Friday, April 12, 2002 at 09:35:58 (PDT)

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